Stainless grades and properties

Specifications define a couple hundred stainless steel grades, differing from one another mainly in
chemical composition. Composition is a fundamental characteristic of stainless steel because it
determines the alloy's corrosion resistance, microstructural phase balance, mechanical properties,
and physical properties. The table below lists the most important stainless steel grades and the most
important molybdenum-containing grades. The most widely used grades are austenitic Types 304
and 316 and ferritic Types 409 and 430.

Common ferritic, austenitic and duplex stainless steels

EN AISI UNS Cr Mo Ni N PREN

Ferritic grades
1.4512 409 S40900 11.5 11.5
1.4016 430 S43000 16.5 16.5
1.4113 434 S43400 16.5 1 19.8
1.4526 436 S43600 17.5 1.25 21.6
1.4521 444 S44400 17.7 2.1 24.6
S44600 27 3.7 2 39.2
Austenitic grades
1.4301 304 S30400 18.1 8.3 18.1
1.4401 316 S31600 17.2 2.1 10.2 24.1
1.4438 317L S31703 18.2 3.1 13.7 28.4
1.4439 317LMN S31726 17.8 4.1 12.7 0.14 33.6
1.4539 904L N08904 20 4.3 25 34.2
(6%Mo) 20 6.1 18-24 0.2 43.3
Duplex grades
1.4362 2304 S32304 23 0.3 4.8 0.1 25.6
1.4462 2205 S32205 22 3.1 5.7 0.17 35.0
1.4410 2507 S32750 25 4 7 0.27 42.5
The Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number (PREN) is a measure of the relative pitting corrosion
resistance of stainless steel in a chloride-containing environment. Higher PREN values
indicate greater corrosion resistance. The formula for PREN is:

PREN = %Cr + 3.3*%Mo + 16*%N

This formula suggests that molybdenum is 3.3 times more effective than chromium at
improving pitting resistance, which is true within limits. Chromium must always be present
in stainless steel to provide basic corrosion resistance. Molybdenum cannot provide this basic
resistance, but it significantly enhances a stainless steel's corrosion resistance, as the formula
shows.
The table shows that ferritic, austenitic and duplex stainless steels with different levels of pitting
resistance are available, and the figure below shows that it is possible to select several different
grades with similar pitting resistance. For example Types 444 (ferritic), 316 (austenitic) and 2304
(duplex) have similar resistance to pitting corrosion in chloride environments.
Selection of the appropriate stainless steel grade depends primarily on the corrosiveness of the
application environment and the application's mechanical property requirements. When more than
one alloy meets these requirements, other factors like physical properties, fabricability, availability
and cost are considerations.

Comparison of PREN values for different ferritic, austenitic and duplex stainless steels (after ArcelorMittal)
Calculation of pitting resistance equivalent
numbers (PREN)
Introduction
Pitting resistance equivalent numbers (PREN) are a theoretical way of comparing the pitting corrosion resistance of
various types of stainless steels, based on their chemical compositions.
The PREN (or PRE) numbers are useful for ranking and comparing the different grades, but cannot be used to
predict whether a particular grade will be suitable for a given application, where pitting corrosion may be a
hazard.
Actual or specified range compositions can be used and usually involve chromium, molybdenum and nitrogen in the
calculations. Tungsten also appears in some versions of the calculation.
In some industries, notably the oil and gas sector, specifications may place tighter restrictions on the PREN for
specific grades than that implied by the minimum composition of the grade defined in EN or ASTM Standards.

Affect of alloying elements on pitting resistance

These are 'linear' formulas, where the molybdenum and nitrogen levels are 'weighted' to take account of their strong
influence on pitting corrosion resistance.

They typically take the form

PREN = Cr + m Mo + n N

where 'm' and 'n' are the factors for molybdenum and nitrogen.

The most commonly used version of the formula is

PREN = Cr + 3.3Mo + 16N

Some formulas weight nitrogen more, with factors of 27 or 30, but as the actual nitrogen levels are quite modest in
most stainless steels, this does not have a dramatic effect on ranking. Tungsten is also included in the molybdenum-
rating factor to acknowledge its affect on pitting resistance in the tungsten bearing super-duplex types, for example
1.4501. A modified formula is then used:

PREN = Cr + 3.3(Mo +0.5W) + 16N

Calculated pitting resistance numbers

Nitrogen ranges are not specified in standards such as BS EN 10088-1 for all but specific grades, such as 1.4311
(304LN), 1.4406 (316LN) austenitics. In contrast all the duplex grades have specified nitrogen ranges. It can then be
misleading to use just specified ranges as the residual nitrogen in commercially produced austenitics will benefit the
pitting resistance.

The table below shows a range of calculated PREN values for comparison. A full theoretical range is shown, using a
combination of the lowest and highest specified values for a selection of ferritic, austenitic and duplex grades.
The values are rounded for convenience of display.
The PREN values for commercially available grades will of course lie somewhere between these minimum and
maximum values and so commercially available steels in grades 1.4410, 1.4501 and 1.4507 are often stipulated to
have actual PREN values over 40.
Grades with a PREN of 40 or more are known as 'super' austenitics or 'super' duplex types, depending to which basic
family they belong.

PREN = Cr + 3.3Mo + 16N

Tungsten (W) is known to have an effect on the pitting resistance and for some grades a modified formula is used:

PREN = Cr + 3.3(Mo +0.5W) + 16N

Grade Type Cr Mo N PREN

Ferritics
1.4003 - 10.5-12.5 NS 0.030 max 10.5-12.5
1.4016 430 16.0-18.0 NS NS 16.0-18.0
1.4113 434 16.0-18.0 0.9-1.4 NS 19.0-22.6
1.4509 441 17.5-18.5 NS NS 17.5-18.5
1.4521 444 17.0-20.0 1.8-2.5 0.030max 23.0-28.7
Austenitics
1.4301 304 17.5-19.5 NS 0.11max 17.5-20.8
1.4311 304LN 17.5-19.5 NS 0.12-0.22 19.4-23.0
1.4401/4 316/316L 16.5-18.5 2.0-2.5 0.11max 23.1-28.5
1.4435 316L (2.5% min Mo) 17.0-19.0 2.5-3.0 0.11max 25.3-30.7
1.4406 316LN 16.5-18.5 2.0-2.5 0.12-0.22 25.0-30.3
1.4539 904L 19.0-21.0 4.0-5.0 0.15max 32.2-39.9
1.4563 Sanicro 28 24.0-26.0 3.0-4.0 0.11max 35.9-43.0
1.4547 254SMO 19.5-20.5 6.0-7.0 0.18-0.25 42.2-47.6
1.4529 1925hMo 19.0-21.0 6.0-7.0 0.15-0.25 41.2-48.1
1.4565 4565S 24.0-26.0 4.0-5.0 0.30-0.60 42.0-52.1
Duplex
1.40621 2202 22.0 0.4 0.20 26.5
1.4162 2101LDX 21.0-22.0 0.1-0.8 0.20-0.25 24.5-28.6
1.4362 SAF 2304 22.0-24.0 0.1-0.6 0.05-0.20 23.1-29.2
1.4462 SAF 2205 21.0-23.0 2.5-3.5 0.10-0.22 30.8-38.1
1.44102 SAF 25072 24.0-26.0 3.0-4.0 0.24-0.35 > 402
1.4501 2
Zeron 100 2
24.0-26.0 3.0-4.0 0.20-0.30 > 402
1.45072 Ferrinox 2552 24.0-26.0 3.0-4.0 0.20-0.30 > 402
The nearest AISI grade is shown, where appropriate, otherwise a typical trade name used by some of manufacturers
is shown.

NS - Not specified

1 Typical composition only available

2 The “superduplex” steels in particular are subject to tighter restrictions on PREN than that implied by the minimum
composition of the EN grade. For example, the equivalent ASTM grade or the specifications of the oil and gas
industry e.g. NORSOK or NACE typically require a minimum of PREN =40.

K03 ArcelorMittal Stainless UK Ltd

2101LDX Outokumpu Ltd
904L Outokumpu Ltd
254SMO 4565S Outokumpu Ltd
SAF 2304, SAF 2205, SAF 2507, Sanicro 28 Sandvik Steel UK
Zeron 100 Rolled Alloys